In the history of wearable carrying devices, there have been many different types of backpacks. Some such backpacks are modular in nature such that they can be altered by the user in the manner they are worn upon the user's body. Others are reconfigurable to provide one or more compartments that can be added or removed by the user.
One such known modular backpack is shown by Berry in U.S. Pat. No. 4,793,534 issued on 27 Dec. 1998. The device of Berry is a basic configuration that includes two sash-like side bags worn in a crisscrossing manner upon a user. Front mounted and rear mounted bags can be clipped to the crossed side bags depending upon the carrying requirements of the user. While functional, this relatively cumbersome configuration can be bulky and requires multiple components for front and/or rear bags to even be usable.
Another such modular backpack is shown by Gregory in U.S. Pat. No. 5,361,955 issued on 8 Nov. 1994. The device of Gregory represents a contemporary style of hiking backpack for carrying heavy loads over substantial periods of time includes a back panel with a polyfoam layer, a stretch fabric cover, and a fabric layer between the polyfoam layer and the back panel, all thermally molded to the back panel to define a number of smaller polyfoam pads. A carry bag is attached to the back panel with a separate waist support having separate molded left and right waistband pads fastened thereto. A molded bun pad of multilayered polyfoam is positioned between the waistband pads and stitched to the lower part of the back panel and to a bottom panel of the carry bag, leaving a space between itself and the back panel to insert and remove the waist support and waistband pads. A pair of generally triangular stress panels are stitched to the lower part of the back panel on each side so as to overlay the outside of the waistband pads and padded shoulder straps are attached to the stress panels and to the upper part of the back panel. Although this device offers some modularity in terms of removable waistband and adjustability with regard to a variety of straps and buckles, there is little if any variation available in the manner in which the user wears this type of backpack.
Yet another such modular backpack is shown by Chouinard in U.S. Pat. No. 5,639,005 issued on 17 Jun. 1997. The device of Chouinard is a utility vest system that includes a front portion of a utility vest designed to accommodate the needs of a particular sporting activity. The front portion of the utility vest further includes a pair of buckles at the top of the utility vest near the shoulders of a wearer and a buckle on either side of the vest near the waist of a wearer. A backpack designed for use with the utility vest front portion includes complementary buckles on the tops of the shoulder straps for attaching the top buckles on the utility vest front portion. The backpack further includes complementary buckles on the lower sides of the backpack for attaching the side buckles on the utility vest front portion. If a user wishes to use the utility vest without the backpack, there is a webbing harness that comprises two pieces of webbing sewed in an “X” configuration. The webbing harness is worn on the back of the user and includes two complementary top buckles for attaching to the top buckles on the utility vest front portion. The webbing harness also includes two complementary bottom buckles for attaching to the two side buckles on the utility vest front portion. Although useful when used together, the front vest and rear backpack sections form a relatively awkward saddlebag-like structure.
Yet still another such modular backpack is shown by Von Neumann in U.S. Pat. No. 6,189,750 issued on 20 Feb. 2001. The device of Von Neumann shows a modular backpack that has four bags or units usable connected together by zippers or snaps or the like. The bags may also be used separately or in various subcombinations. The bags comprise a main bag with shoulder straps useable as a backpack, a middle bag connectable to the bottom of the main bag, and a lower bag connectable to the bottom of the middle bag or directly to the bottom of the main bag. The middle bag may be used alone or together with a lower bag as a waist bag. A purse is removably attached to the main bag. While this device is able to be arranged into a variety of configurations, this design suffers from a lack of ergonomic strap arrangements.
It is, therefore, desirable to provide a modular backpack that can be quickly and easily reconfigured among a variety of useful and ergonomic arrangements.